Amid a two-week long protest in front of the White House, the State Department was due to publish its final environmental assessment of the Keystone XL pipeline on August 26, which would make it easier for the pipeline to be built. The proposed pipeline would traverse several Western and Midwestern states to bring oil from tar sands in Western Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Canada’s environment ministry estimated that production of the tar sands would double in the next decade and increase the greenhouse gas emissions from the country’s oil and gas sector by one-third. Meanwhile, the protest has resulted in the arrest of more than 275 demonstrators, including 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben. “This is the primary test for Obama and the environment in the period between now and the election. [Denial of the pipeline permit] is his chance to do something on his own, without interference from Congress,” said McKibben. Release of the final environmental assessment triggers a 90-day public comment period before the decision goes to President Obama for approval or denial. While TransCanada, developer of the pipeline, stated the United States would become more dependent on Nigeria, Venezuela, and Libya if the pipeline is not built, analysts note that the oil coming from Canada to be refined in Texas may very well end up in Latin America or Europe because the companies Shell, Total, and Valero, who have signed agreements to take oil from Keystone XL, run refineries in Texas’ free trade zone which makes it easier to ship oil overseas.

For additional information see: Washington Post, Guardian, Politico

Australian Climate Change Minister Greg Combet requested states to end “inefficient” climate change policies ahead of the rollout of the country’s nation-wide carbon tax in 2012. Included in the state-level policies are solar feed-in tariffs, which the New South Wales and federal government intend to scale back. In June, the Productivity Commission found that the 230 climate change policies in Australia were costing an average of $44 per ton of carbon dioxide, but that the 12.5 million tons saved could have cost $9 per ton on average. “I will be having discussions with my state counterparts in coming months about this issue, and I think as the dust settles and the carbon price legislation is passed, and we start to do the implementation, we intend advancing the argument that it (the market mechanism) is the most efficient, least-cost way of reducing pollution in our economy,” Mr Combet said.

In related news, the Australian Senate passed a law establishing the trade of carbon credits for farm and forestry projects on August 22. Known as the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), the scheme will allow such projects like tree plantations, methane reduction from livestock, and better fire management of grasslands to trade the credits earned for sequestering carbon with carbon emitting facilities domestically and internationally. The House is expected to pass the legislation with little change.

For additional information see: The Australian, Reuters

Landowners and the environmental organization Friends of the Earth have filed a lawsuit against a proposed coal mine in Australia on the basis of climate change, on August 22. The case seeks to ban development of the $6.2 billion Wandoan mine, which would export approximately 30 million tons of coal per year. Litigants in the case said the project will cause irreversible damage to Australia’s natural icons like the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rain forests in the northeast from climate change. The mining company Xstrata will call witnesses who will testify to the local economic benefits of the mining project, while local landowners claim the project will destroy much of the region’s grazing and crop land as well as affect the air, soil and water quality, local wildlife and the health of livestock.

For additional information see: AFP, AUDIO: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Sources involved in European Union (EU) negotiations on the fate of the Kyoto Protocol indicated that the powerful voting bloc could offer language that would salvage the mechanisms of the landmark international climate treaty after it expires in 2012. Speaking to Point Carbon, a senior EU official said that diplomats were working on language that would preserve the mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol even if no binding international targets were set at the next round of international climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa in December. The proposal, which has not been agreed to with the EU, would also let the Kyoto Protocol lapse in 2018 to allow a new global pact to replace it. “We see there are a lot of parties that want to maintain the Kyoto Protocol and its rules-based system,” said an EU negotiator. “Maybe it’s possible to preserve the rules, but not ratify (a second period).”

For additional information see: Reuters, Business Green

The prime minister of Bhutan, a country situated in the Himalayan mountains of Asia, issued a dire warning of the impending negative impacts of climate change on the productivity of his country. Speaking to Agence France Presse, Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley said that his country is already facing challenges from dryer winters and wetter summers. “The glaciers are retreating very rapidly, some are even disappearing. The flow of water in our river system is fluctuating in ways that are very worrying,” he said. Bhutan gets the majority of its power from hydroelectric dams that are fed by glaciers in the Himalayan mountains. In the summer months, river systems are overflowing, threatening people who live in the valleys below. During the winter months, the rivers dry up much more than before, creating a shortage of hydroelectric power that the country relies upon. Bhutan has plans to build more hydroelectric capacity to foster its growth and export power to neighboring India. However, climate change threatens that plan. Bhutan will host a conference with India, Nepal, and Bangladesh in November to discuss ways to reduce climate change impacts on the Himalayas, which are a source of water for 1.9 billion people.

For additional information see: AFP

On August 19, Canadian government officials announced draft rules that would effectively ban new coal-fired power plants that do not capture and store most of their carbon dioxide emissions. Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent said that the rules would likely take effect in 2015 and include exemptions for demonstration projects and emergency facilities. The draft rule would require new coal-fired facilities to make their emissions comparable to a natural gas-fired power plant. Approximately 33 of the 51 existing coal-fired power plants are expected to be shut down by 2025, according to government officials. It is expected that the rule will spur investment in natural gas and renewable energy. The public has 60 days to submit comments on the draft rule.

For additional information see: Power Engineering, Proposed Rule

Swiss researchers have discovered a huge discrepancy between what several European countries state in their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reports and what has been observed in the atmosphere. In a study published in Geophyscial Research Letters, researcher Stefan Reimann found that the levels of the potent and long-lived GHG HFC-23, a byproduct of the manufacture of the cooling and foaming agent HCFC-22, is roughly twice what some countries have reported it to be. Using atmospheric and climate models, Reimann also was able to pinpoint the source of the emissions because there are only six sources in Europe that manufacture HCFC-22. Italy, Great Britain, and the Netherlands significantly under-reported their emissions, while Germany and France reported within the values observed by the scientists at research stations in Switzerland and Ireland. HFC-23 emissions were observed over a two-year period from 2008 to 2010. Compliance to the Kyoto Protocol does not require independent control mechanisms such as the Swiss findings. It relies on the reporting from countries subject to the climate treaty.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Abstract

New research has found that the hidden genetic diversity of some species is threatened by climate change, in addition to the threat of extinction to some individual species. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, analyzed what is known as “cryptic” diversity, such as different lineages, or even species within species, in aquatic insects of Central Europe. By conducting gene sequencing of the insects’ mitochondria, researchers were able to identify evolutionary significant units (ESUs), a term for a genetically distinct population within a species. Using two different climate change models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, they found that ESUs suffered a greater rate of extinction with warmer temperatures which would hinder the species’ evolutionary capability. “This genetic diversity is the most fundamental form of biodiversity — essentially, it’s the substrate for evolution,” said scientist Carsten Nowak. Co-author Steffen Pauls added, “We hope that this approach will be developed further to incorporate different migratory abilities, types of dispersal and thermal adaptability.”

For additional information see: Nature, Abstract

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have discovered the presence of a deep ocean circulation system off the coast of Iceland that could change the way scientists think the ocean reacts to climate change. The current, called the North Icelandic Jet (NIJ), feeds into a larger system that circulates warm water northward, where it is cooled, sinks, and loops back, or oscillates, southward. Scientists have been concerned that warmer temperatures will slow down the loop as ice melts, freezing the warm northward water and preventing it from sinking. This would, in turn, create colder climates in parts of Europe. While this scenario is far from certain, researchers point out that they need to better understand the overturning process. The research also found that the NIJ carries the majority of the denser, colder water. It had been previously thought that the primary source of the system that feeds the loop was the East Greeland Current. “These results. . . raise new questions about how global ocean circulation will respond to future climate change,” said Eric Itsweire of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Division of Ocean Sciences, which funded the research.

For additional information see: Reuters, Science Daily, Abstract

On August 25, a study published in Nature found that during the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) weather pattern, civil conflict increased by six percent from non-weather related conflict. The ENSO cycle changes rainfall and temperatures throughout Africa, the Mideast, India, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Australia, and disrupts weather patterns in over 90 countries worldwide. Researchers used data from 1950 to 2004 to show that the probability of new civil conflicts in the tropics doubles during El Nino years compared to La Nina years. “What [the study shows] and [shows] beyond any doubt is that even in this modern world, climate variations have an impact on the propensity of people to fight,” said Mark Cane, a scientist at Columbia University. Some scientists are skeptical of the connection the study drew between climate change and violence. “The study fails to improve on our understanding of the causes of armed conflicts, as it makes no attempt to explain the reported association between ENSO cycles and conflict risk,” said Halvard Buhaug, of the Peace Research Institute. Though not all scientists agree on the correlation between El Nino and political instability, they do agree that at-risk governments could use the data to prepare for potential conflicts during times of ENSO-related weather.

For additional information see: AFP, Science Daily, Nature, Abstract

On August 23, a research paper in the journal Global Change Biology found that prolonged exposure to heat limits plant growth, even if there is an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. The study concluded that prolonged exposure to heat dries the soil, effecting nitrogen production and plant growth. “When you’ve previously seen a significantly higher plant growth at elevated CO2 concentrations, it is typically because it has been controlled studies, where only the CO2 concentration was changed. We fundamentally had the theory that you have to look at the combination of the different climate variables, since the plants in the future will be exposed to multiple changes simultaneously,” stated Klaus Steenberg Larsen, lead author on the study.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Abstract

Other Headlines

Writers: Matthew Johnson and Alison Alford

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been constructing a new Climate Service that would provide climate information and data in accessible and timely formats to assist people in making decisions. In addition to providing climate information, the Climate Service would develop products, assessments, and tools to aid its stakeholders in preparing for and responding to climate change. However, funding for the program was cut in the Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2011 that was agreed to by Congress and the White House on April 8. Since the NOAA plans to establish the Climate Service in 2012, this lack of funding does not directly affect the program unless it is carried over into the fiscal 2012 budget. The Department of Commerce and NOAA proposed establishing a NOAA Climate Service in February, 2010.

For additional information see:Washington Post, Spending Bill

On April 12, California officials announced that the state will expand its new carbon-trading program to three Canadian provinces, British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario. The program is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industrial plants and transportation fuel, allowing companies to buy and sell emissions permits among themselves to cut their costs. Quebec is expected to join the program when it is launched this January, with British Columbia and Ontario joining within a year, creating the largest regional cap-and-trade system in North America. Arizona, New Mexico Washington, Oregon, Utah and Montana were originally part of the initiative but withdrew.

For additional information see: LA Times

On April 13, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former President Bill Clinton announced a plan to merge their global climate groups. C40 Cities, a coalition of international cities run by Bloomberg, will merge with Clinton’s philanthropic foundation, the Clinton Climate Initiative, doubling both groups’ annual budget and staff. Bloomberg and Clinton are scheduled to deliver a joint address next month at an environmental conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Both programs are aimed at reducing carbon emissions in large cities through programs that would make buildings more efficient, promote mass transit, and reuse greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. Jay Carson, former deputy mayor of Los Angeles, will become chief executive of the new organization which will be called the C40-Clinton Climate Initiative. It is expected to have a budget of about $15 million per year and a staff of 70.

For additional information see:NY Times

Sun Cuihua, the vice-director of the climate change department at the National Development and Reform Commission, announced at a conference that China will launch pilot emissions trading programs in the cities of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin and the provinces of Hubei and Guangdong before 2013, as well as set up a nationwide trading platform by 2015. China has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels. The government plans to cut energy intensity by 16 percent and carbon intensity by 17 percent in the 2011-2015 period to meet this goal. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, provinces and regions have already been issued local targets, but the figures have not yet been released to the public.

For additional information see: Reuters

Three Indian states, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, have begun to implement a pilot emission trading program in an effort to reduce emissions. The Times of India reported on April 12 that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board began analyzing emissions of industrial units by using online monitoring systems, and will put a cap on emissions within clusters, as well as on individual units. “For the next six months, we will be tracking the emissions of industries such as thermal [plants], cement factories, etc, which are responsible for ambient air pollution. Based on the six-month findings, we will determine the capping limit,” said Environmental Secretary Nair Singh. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF) will use the next two years to determine how this market-based pilot program can aid Indian environmental regulations in the future.

For additional information see: Times of India

Research released by Point Carbon indicated that the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) proposed carbon floor price will cut UK energy industry emissions 5.3 percent by 2020. The proposals include a requirement for fuel suppliers to pay a floor tax, regardless of any future changes in the price of carbon through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The research noted that the carbon price will be set two years prior to the time of the tax taking effect, which could result in a UK carbon price as high as 54 Euros per ton, significantly more than the 36 Euros per ton that is expected throughout the rest of the European Union (EU). The report predicted that this high carbon price will increase investment in renewable and low-carbon energy, although the higher price of carbon in the UK may put it at a competitive disadvantage in comparison to other EU nations.

For additional information see: Business Green

Research conducted by the Research Center for Environmental Changes indicated that a change in global weather will cause Taiwan to experience an increase of floods in the rainy season and droughts in the dry season. Rainfall distribution between wet and dry seasons has shifted 15 percent in the past 30 years. Reservoirs in the area are able to hold six months worth of necessary water supplies each year, but may not be sufficient with an extending dry season, leading to severe droughts. Leading researcher Chou Chia suggested the government re-evaluate how the nation collects and stores water, as well as implement more efficient ways of irrigating crops.

For additional information see: China Post

A study published in the journal Nature found that anywhere from two to six percent of atmospheric reactive nitrogen is converted by forests into nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), and then emitted from forest soil back into the atmosphere. The previous estimate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was only one percent. Forest deposition of reactive nitrogen has increased about 1.5 million tons per year from 1860 to 2000. The sources for the atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen are mainly the volatilization of ammonia from fertilizers used in agriculture, and nitrogen oxide emissions formed by the combustion of fossil fuels or biomass burning. In addition to producing N20, nitrogen deposition on forests also reduces plant and animal diversity, and increases nitrate levels in water. The study identifies which European regions are at the greatest risks for nitrogen pollution and outlines actions to be taken to protect the environment and public health.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters found that long-term climate change has the potential to move the Earth’s tectonic plates. According to the study, intensification of Indian monsoons, which increased rainfall in northeast India by four meters per year, have accelerated the movement of the Indian plate by a factor of 20 percent over the past 10 million years. Although scientists have previously known that tectonic movements influence climate by creating new mountains and sea trenches, this study was the first to show the reverse. The study did not indicate climate change will cause stronger, more frequent earthquakes, but it will contribute to understanding what caused plate motions to change and which regions are currently more prone to large earthquakes.

For additional information see: ANU, AFP, Study

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that climate change is affecting both chinstrap penguin and Adelie penguin populations through reductions in their food supply. Krill, the penguins’ main food source, requires sea ice to reproduce. The reduction in sea ice from climate change has led to an 80 percent decrease in krill populations since 1970. Over the past decade, chinstrap penguin populations have fallen by 4.3 percent a year, and Adelie penguin populations have fallen 2.9 percent a year. According to the study, fewer fledgling penguins are surviving to adulthood, causing some penguin colonies to fall by half. The penguins face more danger as krill fisheries in the Southern Ocean expand.

For additional information see: Mongabay, Reuters, NY Times, Study

New research presented at the Society for General Microbiology’s Spring Conference in the United Kingdom indicated that as climates change, plants will become more vulnerable to infectious disease, threatening crop yields and affecting the price and availability of food. The research focused on how changing levels of rainfall, humidity, and temperature all play a role in the predominance of a toxic fungal disease affecting wheat called Fusarium head blight (FHB). Mathematical models have shown that the number of FHB epidemics, as well as the amount of mycotoxin, the harmful toxin released by FHB, will increase across the United Kingdom in coming decades. “Higher temperatures, increasing levels of carbon dioxide, water limitation and quality may all affect existing plant microbes as well as favouring the appearance of new microbes. This may increase the incidence of some diseases and reduce the incidence of others,” said Dr. Adrian Newton, author of the study. He suggested that exploiting plant diversity will increase resilience to disease and other factors associated with climate change. “This means less pesticide use, reliable crop production and sustainable food production systems,” he said.

For additional information see: Science Daily

In a study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, UCLA geoscientists constructed an ancient climate record by analyzing fossilized mollusk shells . The study used two geochemical techniques to determine the summertime Arctic temperatures during the early Pliocene epoch (3.5 million to 4 million years ago), in which the shells were formed, and found that temperatures may have been 18 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than today. Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels from the Pliocene epoch remained near the current value of 400 parts per million (ppm) for thousands of years, possibly indicating how warm the planet may get if CO2 levels are stabilized at modern levels. The results of the study supported previous climate models which predicted summertime sea ice will be eliminated in the next 50 to 100 years. By evaluating the isotopic content of oxygen from both fossilized mollusk and plant samples, scientists were able to determine the temperature at which the specimens originally formed, eliminating the need for ice cores which only provided climate information up to 800,000 years ago, during which CO2 levels were never above 280 to 300 ppm. Scientists created an additional method that determined how much of the rarest isotopes of carbon and oxygen are present in just the mollusk sample, which yielded results consistent with the original method. Data from these methods were in sync with three entirely different approaches, proving them to be reliable.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A study published in Nature Geoscience found that rising surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator and near the International Date Line drive atmospheric circulation that has caused some of the largest shifts in Antarctic climate in recent decades. The warmer surface temperatures cause air to rise, creating a large wave structure in the atmosphere which brings warmer temperatures to the West Antarctic during winter and spring. By using surface and satellite temperature observations, scientists found a strong relationship between central Pacific sea-surface readings and Antarctic temperatures during the winter months of June through August, as well as a less pronounced relationship in the spring months of September through November. The results could also provide clues for scientists as to why the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is thinning.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A Cornell University study published in Climate Change Letters concluded natural gas produced by a drilling method called “hydraulic fracturing,” or “fracking,” could contribute more to global warming than previously thought. The findings are controversial due to previous estimations that natural gas had a fraction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of coal, and “shale gas” has been widely credited in many circles for keeping energy prices low during the recession. According to the study, however, the production of gas from shale produces much higher methane emissions, a GHG many times more potent than carbon dioxide, which is enough to negate the carbon advantage that it has over coal and oil when they’re burned for energy. “The [greenhouse gas] footprint for shale gas is greater than that for conventional gas or oil when viewed on any time horizon, but particularly so over 20 years. Compared to coal, the footprint of shale gas is at least 20 percent greater and perhaps more than twice as great on the 20-year horizon and is comparable when compared over 100 years,” stated Robert Howarth, one of the authors of the study.

For additional information see: Time, NY Times, Study

Other Headlines

H.R. 910:

Intent: To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes.

Previous Action: Passed House on April 7, 2011, 255-172.

Sponsor: Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee

Related Bill: S. 482 (Inhofe, R-NM)

For more information: Bill Summary

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on a new report from the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that details for the first time what the anticipated effects of climate change will be per degree of global temperature increase. Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations and Impacts over Decades to Millennia details the impacts of human activities — particularly emissions of carbon dioxide, but also other greenhouse gas emissions — which are so vast they will largely control the future of the Earth’s climate system. A companion piece, Warming World: Impacts by Degree, highlights the main findings of the report. Two authors of the report will discuss its findings and how the future could bring a relatively mild change in climate or an extreme change to entirely different climate conditions that will persist for many thousands of years. This briefing will also include perspective on the value judgments that policymakers face when they deliberate on the risks of climate change. The event will be held Monday, April 25, 2011, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m., in 122 Cannon House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Matthew Johnson at mjohnson [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1892.

Writers: Deep Ghosh and Matthew Johnson

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

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On November 29, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu spoke at the National Press Club, warning that the United States faces a “Sputnik moment” in the global clean energy race with China. Chu said that the United States needs to respond like it responded to the Soviet Union’s launch of the world’s first space satellite in 1957 to remain a leader in clean energy innovation. Chu outlined efforts currently underway at the Department of Energy to give America’s entrepreneurs and manufacturers an edge in clean energy investment and innovation, and defended the potential costs of climate change by comparing climate skeptics to homeowners who are repeatedly told to change wiring but keep looking for electricians to tell them they do not need to. Chu also focused on the threat of China as a technological competitor. “From wind power to nuclear reactors to high speed rail, China and other countries are moving aggressively to capture the lead,” Chu said. “Given that challenge, and given the enormous economic opportunities in clean energy, it’s time for America to do what we do best: innovate. As President Obama has said, we should not, cannot, and will not play for second place.”

For additional information see: DOE Press Release, Guardian, Reuters, New York Times, AFP

On November 30, House Republicans hoping to lead the Appropriations Committee in the new Congress threatened to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act. On November 29, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, writing, “in addition to scrutinizing the agency’s entire FY 2012 budget, with particular attention to the agency’s rulemaking process, the House Appropriations Committee will be exercising its prerogative to withhold funding for prospective EPA regulations and defund through the rescissions process many of those already on the books.” Specifically, Lewis said that he wants to target EPA’s “ongoing arbitrary interpretation of the Clean Air Act.” He said he will refuse to support funding to EPA to regulate GHGs “unless Congress passes bipartisan energy legislation specifically providing the authority to do so.”

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), who is also seeking to lead the Committee, said of the EPA’s greenhouse gas rules, “I will look at it very carefully with that in mind. There are things that the Appropriations Committee and the legislative branch can defund or modify or do things about, and we now have a ticket to the table which we have not had for four years.” The EPA is scheduled to begin regulating GHGs in January 2011.

For additional information see: Politico, The Hill

On December 1, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), current ranking member of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, announced that the committee would no longer exist under the new Congress. Republicans will take over as majority party in the House when the 112th Congress begins in January 2011. The announcement came during a climate change hearing held by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the current chairman. Sensenbrenner had advocated to keep the panel to focus on climate policies and regulations generated by the Obama administration, but House Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-OH) did not support it. “The global warming committee doesn’t need to be a separate committee,” Boehner told reporters. “We believe that the Science Committee is more than capable of handling this issue, and in the process, we’ll save several million dollars.” During the hearing, Markey lamented the end of the panel. “Some day our children and grandchildren will read the record of our committee. . . . Whether or not they see a solution remains to be seen,” he said. Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) formed the committee in 2007 to investigate and make recommendations concerning global warming and energy independence. Most recently, the committee investigated the Gulf oil spill disaster.

For additional information see: New York Times, Washington Post, CBS News

On December 2, four Republican Senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying the United States must freeze climate-aid payments to developing nations. “We remain opposed to the U.S. commitment to full implementation of the Copenhagen Accord, which will transfer billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to developing nations in the name of climate change,” they wrote. “We do not believe that billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars should be transferred to developing countries through unaccountable multilateral or bilateral channels for adaptation, deforestation and other international climate finance programs.” The letter states that President Obama has requested $1.9 billion for 2011 out of $3.6 trillion in annual government spending. The money is part of the fast-track financing that Obama agreed to at last year’s UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

For additional information see: AFP, The Hill, Bloomberg

On November 29, the U.S. delegation at the UN climate negotiations in Cancun announced that it will stand behind greenhouse gas emissions cuts that were pledged at the negotiations held in Copenhagen in 2009. President Obama pledged to cut emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. “We must stand behind the underpinnings of what our leaders agreed to last year,” said Jonathan Pershing, head of the U.S. delegation. He also said that an increase in natural gas production due to shale rock exploration could help the nation reduce its dependency on coal. Natural gas produces about half of the carbon emissions as coal production. “One of the things that appears to be coming along is significant improvement in our supplies of shale gas, which could perhaps (replace some) coal and further reduce U.S. emissions,” said Pershing.

For additional information see: Reuters

On November 29, government officials from the United States and China revealed to Reuters they had been discussing the climate negotiations over the past few weeks, and were optimistic about the outcome of the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. “We have spent a lot of energy in the past month working on those issues where we disagree and trying to resolve them. My sense is that we have made progress. It remains to be seen how this meeting comes out,” said Jonathan Pershing, head of the U.S. delegation. China’s chief climate delegate, Su Wei, said, “we’ve had a very candid, very open dialogue with our U.S. friends and I think both the U.S. and China would very much like to see a good outcome at Cancun.”

For additional information see: Reuters, Business Green, Telegraph

On November 29, at the opening of the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) announced that the fifth assessment (AR5), due to be presented to the UN in 2014, will include geo-engineering options. Geo-engineering seeks to alter the earth’s systems in an effort to reduce or reverse the effects of global warming. Head of the IPCC, Rajendra Pachauri, said, “the AR5 has been expanded and will in [the] future focus on subjects like clouds and aerosols, geo-engineering and sustainability issues.” Options include putting mirrors in space to reflect sunlight, covering Greenland in a massive blanket in order to reduce the melting of ice, sprinkling iron filings in the ocean to fertilize algae so it will suck up carbon dioxide (CO2), seeding clouds to reduce sunlight, creating artificial trees to suck out CO2, painting roofs white to reflect sunlight, and creating manmade volcanoes that spray sulphate particles high in the atmosphere to scatter the sun’s rays back into space. Pachauri said he was confident that the IPCC would live up to global expectations and would be stronger after undergoing a review that stemmed from the inclusion of the mistaken claim that the Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035 in the fourth assessment.

For additional information see: Telegraph

On November 29, the Alliance of Small Island States pleaded their case at the UN climate negotiations taking place in Cancun, Mexico, to keep the global temperature rise under 1.5°C. The Alliance represents 43 member states, but those most at risk include Kribati, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the Maldives. The islands face catastrophic consequences with increased sea level rise, and are already coping with eroding beaches and salt water contaminating fresh water supplies. “We are facing at this moment the end of history for some of us,” said Antonio Lima, an envoy from Cape Verde and vice- chair of the Alliance. He said of the countries most at risk, “all these countries are struggling to survive. They are going to drown. I have mountains in my country. I can climb. They cannot climb.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg, Reuters

On November 29, Oxfam released a report that shows deaths related to climate change more than doubled in 2010 and urged international negotiators in Cancun to raise funds for those most vulnerable to climate change effects. Climate-related disasters killed 21,000 people in the first nine months of 2010, more than twice the number killed for all of 2009. Oxfam released the report to urge immediate action at the UN climate negotiations being held in Cancun, Mexico. “This year has seen massive suffering and loss due to extreme weather disasters. This is likely to get worse as climate change tightens its grip,” said Tim Gore, author of the report. “The human impacts of climate change in 2010 send a powerful reminder why progress in Cancun is more urgent than ever.” Oxfam said that flooding in Pakistan killed 2,000 people, and affected 20 million. Oxfam is calling for a fair Climate Fund for money for those who need it most to adapt to climate change impacts and says that for every $1 spent on adaptation, $60 will be saved in damages.

For additional information see: Reuters, Oxfam Report

On November 26, the Inter Academy Medical Panel (IAMP) released a statement urging international climate negotiators to consider climate change mitigation strategies that have health co-benefits as first priority. The statement said climate change was a threat to human health in many ways, and while mitigation would be costly, some of the expenses might be offset by lower health care expenses. Suggested strategies included replacing inefficient cookstoves with low-emission cookstoves, encouraging active urban travel through cycling and walking, and reducing consumption of animal-source food. The report was signed by health academies from 40 countries, including the United States.

For additional information see: New York Times, IAMP Statement

On November 30, the European Environment Agency (EEA) launched its five-year assessment on Europe’s environmental conditions and said that children born today in Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Italy will witness a 7°C temperature rise in their lifetime. Experts said that at the end of the century, annual heat-related deaths could double the total from the European heat wave of 2003 that killed 70,000 people. The report says that Europe has warmed more than the global average, with average temperatures now 1.3°C higher than the 1850-1899 average, compared to the global increase of around 0.7°C. EEA director Jacqueline McGlade said the impacts of climate change were already being felt all over Europe.

For additional information see: Reuters, EEA Report

A public accounts report released on November 30 indicated Britain will not meet its 2010 target to supply 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy until 2012. The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) admitted they will not meet the 10 percent goal by 2010, according to the report. While DECC is responsible for ensuring the country meets its renewable electricity goals, renewable energy funding is delivered through mechanisms it does not control. The report said, “the Department does not have a clear understanding of how much has been spent or what has been achieved.” Margaret Hodge, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said approximately 180 million pounds allocated to support renewable energy had gone unspent. The committee said that the DECC has been slow in planning and implementing green energy growth plans. Forty percent of renewable schemes do not get planning approval, and others fail to get adequate funding. “The Department will have to have a greater sense of urgency and purpose if it is to achieve the dramatic increase in renewable energy supplies needed to meet them,” said Hodge.

For additional information see: Reuters, BBC

On November 29, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that a national agreement on carbon pricing would be forced in 2011. This was the first time that Gillard’s Labor party put a timeline on a carbon price introduction. Earlier this year a climate change committee was established to investigate the best way to price carbon and present the evidence in an undeniable way. “The Climate Change Commission will carry out its task of bringing together expert opinion and public attitudes,” Gillard said. “I promise you, no responsible decision maker will be able to say next year that they need more time or more information on climate change.”

For additional information see: Business Green, Reuters, UPI

On November 29, the Consumer Goods Forum — a CEO-level organization with more than 400 companies and revenues in excess of $2.8 trillion — announced two major initiatives to combat climate change: ending deforestation and the use of hydroflourocarbon (HFC) refrigerant gases. The forum pledged to achieve net zero deforestation by 2020, and was confident that sourcing materials sustainably would not lead to an increase in prices for consumers. The forum also agreed to begin phasing out HFCs — greenhouse gases that are more potent than carbon dioxide — in 2015 and replace them with non-HFC refrigerants. “[W]e are in Cancun to lend our support to this monumental but essential task of creating solutions that lead to a low-carbon world,” said Muhtar Kent of the Coca-Cola Company at the UN climate negotiations being held in Cancun, Mexico. “The initiatives that our industry announced today are good examples of the kind of bold and positive action that will be needed to move the needle in combating climate change.” The forum is co-chaired by companies such as Coca-Cola, General Mills, Johnson and Johnson, Kellogg, Kraft, L’Oreal, Nestle, Pepsi Co, Proctor and Gamble, Sara Lee, Unilever, and Wal-Mart.

For additional information see: PR Newswire, Reuters

New computer simulations done by Xi Zhang at the California Institute of Technology show that the atmospheric sulphur cycle is more complicated than originally thought. Recently, some scientists have proposed shooting sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere to reflect more solar radiation away from Earth in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change. The proposal stems from studying the effects of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo that shot sulphur dioxide particles into the air, which then formed small sulphuric acid droplets and spread around the earth. This effect is similar to the gaseous sulphuric acid blanket that surrounds Venus, which cools the whole planet by about 0.5°C. However, scientists have discovered by studying the gases surrounding Venus that injecting sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere may prove unsuccessful, because it is unknown how quickly the transformed sulphuric acid will evaporate to form sulphur dioxide — which is transparent, and will not reflect solar radiation. The scientists said that more research is needed to fully understand this geo-engineering option.

For additional information see: Science Daily

On November 29, Chinese government officials announced they were on course to meet their 2010 pollution reduction and energy efficiency goals. China’s 11th Five-Year Program (2006-2010) on national economic and social development set a 10 percent total pollution emissions reduction target for 2010 from 2006 levels. The Program also set to decrease energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20 percent. Xie Zhenhua, China’s chief climate negotiator and deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said these targets have already been met. Xie also said the Five-Year Program target for the 2011-2015 period were being developed, and would also be binding.

For additional information see: Reuters, AFP, People’s Daily

On November 29, a series of journal papers was published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, showcasing how climate change could increase average global temperature by 4°C as early as the 2060s, and what that might mean for different societies and ecological systems. The international study team behind the researchers wrote that increasing greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decade rendered the target of keeping global warming below 2°C “extremely difficult, arguably impossible, raising the likelihood of global temperature rises of three or four degrees Celsius within this century.” The scientists analyzed the non-binding emissions agreements made last year at the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen, and found that the cuts are not enough to prevent food shortages, rampant spread of disease, and mass migration. While a 4°C rise in temperature was once seen as an extreme scenario, researchers argue that it is becoming more plausible without a binding agreement to limit to greenhouse gas emissions.

For additional information see: Business Green, Science Development, Science Daily, Guardian

On November 15, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that catabolic (carbon dioxide (CO2) production) and anabolic (biomass synthesis) processes in frozen soils are similar to those in unfrozen soil. Previously, scientists believed that microbes in frozen soils were inactive during colder months, but this study shows that the microbes remain active. The amount of CO2 sequestered in frozen soils is not completely known, although most scientists agree that the amount is massive. A group of soil scientists recently estimated the amount to be double that of atmospheric CO2. Ted Schuur, a permafrost expert and ecologist at the University of South Florida, estimates that under thawed conditions, 40 to 70 percent of the carbon stored in the permafrost would escape into the atmosphere within a decade, and vegetation would not be able to keep pace. These findings have important implications for carbon models and cycles. “These microbes are doing a lot more than staying alive,” Ben Bond-Lamberty, a scientist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute at the University of Maryland, said. “And as we construct annual carbon budgets, this raises the possibility that there’s a lot more wintertime CO2 coming out of these systems than we realized.”

For additional information see: New York Times, Study Abstract

On December 1, the International Food Policy Research Institute released a report showing that if greenhouse gas emissions levels are not curbed, grain prices could double by 2050 and leave millions malnourished and hungry. The report showed that prices would rise due to decreased productivity from warming and rain pattern changes, in addition to population and income growth. The authors projected 15 different scenarios for food security through 2050 using various modeling techniques. The authors concluded that the negative effects of climate change could be balanced with broad economic growth. The report read, “Reducing emissions growth to minimise the effects of climate change is thus essential to avoid a calamitous post-2050 future.”

For additional information see: Guardian, AP, IFPRI Report

Other Headlines

• From Wesleyan: An Energized Call to Price Carbon
• Leaked Cables Show U.S. Pressured Saudis to Accept Copenhagen Accord
• States Diverting Money from Climate Initiative
• States Want Cap-and-Trade Added to U.S. Carbon Rules
• DuPont, Zurich Chase $135 Billion Climate Market as Warming Forces Change
• Africa Rejects Joint Stand with EU on Climate
• Experts Split on Global Warming, Highland Malaria Link

Writers: Amber Pembleton and Matthew Johnson

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On November 22, Chinese government officials held a press conference outlining their position ahead of the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. The press event was scheduled to coincide with the release of their annual report, The Climate Change Green Paper. China’s chief negotiator in international climate change talks, Xie Zhenhua, acknowledged that China was the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and hoped the GHG emissions would peak at an early date. He also said that rich countries should take the lead with steep cuts in GHG emissions, allowing developing countries to grow their economies. China wants the Kyoto Protocol to continue as the key climate treaty, which would allow developing nations such as China to take voluntary, non-binding steps in curbing emissions. Xie also noted that negotiations in Cancun would only succeed if participants agreed on financing and technology transfer mechanisms to help developing countries reduce their GHG emissions. “Developed countries need to take the lead in massively cutting their greenhouse gas emission[s] in order to give further development space to developing countries,” Xie said. “Developing countries in particular should be concerned about achieving tangible results with regard to funding and technology transfer issues.”

In related news, officials from several countries have announced their positions and expectations heading into Cancun. On November 25, Hideki Minamikawa, vice minister for global environmental affairs at Japan’s environment ministry, said that Japan opposes an extension of the Kyoto Protocol if it binds only rich nations to limit their carbon emissions and excludes China and the United States. Earlier, dozens of African countries signed on to a consensus statement at the Seventh Annual African Development Forum that, in part, reiterated the long held negotiating position that industrialized nations should take the lead in reducing GHG emissions and increase their finance and technology transfer to developing countries. Lead Canadian climate negotiator Guy Saint-Jacques expressed his doubts of the UN climate process, noting “I find it’s a very frustrating process, because it means you’re not working on a consensus basis, you’re working on unanimity basis,” he said. “Any country can block any point on the discussion.”

For additional information see: Reuters, Associated Press, China Daily, Consensus Statement of the African Development Forum, The Globe and Mail, Reuters

On November 22, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized two rules that will govern carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), which could allow large carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters such as coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions by injecting CO2 underground. The new geologic sequestration rules aim to protect drinking water and track the amount of CO2 that is stored. “We’re taking a major step towards path breaking innovations that will reduce greenhouse gases and put America in the forefront of the clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By providing clarity about greenhouse gas reporting and the necessary protections for drinking water sources during carbon sequestration, we’ve cleared the way for people to use this promising technology.” The rule concerning greenhouse gas reporting for geologic sequestration will take effect December 31, 2010, and the rule concerning drinking water safety will take effect in the summer of 2011.

For additional information see:  Associated Press, Bloomberg, EPA

On November 23, a diverse group of 56 faith-based groups released a joint letter urging the Senate to continue allowing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act. The joint letter opens as follows: “As communities and people of faith, we are called to protect and serve God’s great Creation and work for justice for all of God’s people. We believe that the United States must take all appropriate and available actions to prevent the worst impacts of climate change; we therefore urge you to oppose any efforts to undermine the authority of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.” Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has submitted a proposal to delay EPA’s authority to regulate GHG emissions by two years. The proposal may receive a vote before the end of the year.

For additional information see: PR Newswire

On November 22, the California Adaptation Advisory Panel released a report that provides plans for California to adapt to climate change impacts. The report calls for Governor-elect Jerry Brown to appoint a Climate Risk Council that would assess relevant science and provide guidance to the Governor on risks associated with climate change. The report focuses largely on coastal counties, and urged a more cohesive approach to three threats: diminishing water supplies, sea level rise, and severe fire outbreaks. “The picture is global and yet there are regional differences,” Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences said. “California wants to make sure they understand what may happen in the case of sea level rise – not just along the coast, but inland as well. They want to take actions that will keep them ahead of the game.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Report

On November 16, Exelon released a plan of action to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by about 60 million metric tons per year. Exelon is the nation’s largest owner of nuclear power plants, which do not emit CO2 to produce power, and plans to spend more than $5 billion by 2017 to reduce its CO2 emissions. Others in the utility industry have identified opportunities to make similar investments. Bob Shapard, chief executive at Oncor, an energy-delivery company in Dallas, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that smart meters, electric cars and big transmission projects could trim greenhouse gas emissions significantly and were a worthy focus of utility investment.

For additional information see: Wall Street Journal, Exelon Press Release

On November 21, mayors from 138 of the world’s largest cities signed a pact to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals in hopes that their national counterparts would make similar progress at the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Cancun. The accord is voluntary, but both the targets and the progress that the cities make will be reported to a Cities Climate Registry. The summit’s host, Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of Mexico City, noted that there were also financial interests at stake: “mayors believe that if financial resources become available through transfers from developed to developing countries, a significant portion of these monies should be passed through to cities and local governments to implement local climate programs.” The summit was convened by the World Mayors Council on Climate Change, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

For additional information see: CNN, Business Green, New York Times, Agence France Presse

On November 23, the United Nations Environment Program released a report showing that if all greenhouse gas reduction pledges made at the UN climate summit last year in Copenhagen were achieved, it would only amount to 60 percent of the reductions needed to keep the global warming to 2°C. Instead, the corresponding temperature rise would be approximately 2.5°C. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said that the emissions gap needed to be discussed at the climate negotiations in Cancun scheduled to begin November 29. Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change said, “governments meeting at the U.N. Climate Conference in Cancún will need to both anchor the pledges they made in Copenhagen in the U.N. context and to work swiftly to agree on ways to reduce emissions so that the world has a chance of staying below a 2 degree Celsius temperature rise.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters, Report

On November 24, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a bulletin showing that concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere have reached record highs since pre-industrial times. GHGs have the ability to absorb more solar radiation than other atmospheric gases, and this causes an increase in Earth’s surface temperature. “The main long-lived greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have reached their highest recorded levels since the beginning of the industrial age, and this despite the recent economic slowdown,” WMO Deputy Secretary-General Jeremiah Lengoasa said. Carbon dioxide contributes to 63.5 percent of total radiative forcing. Its concentration has increased by 38 percent since 1750, mainly because of emissions from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and changes in land use, the WMO said. The findings of the bulletin will be discussed at the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, scheduled to begin November 29.

For additional information see: Reuters, Bloomberg, World Meteorological Association

On November 26, the UK Meteorological (Met) Office released a report showing that climate change is occurring even though the rate of warming may have slowed in the past decade. The Met Office also announced that sea surface temperatures from the last decade were going to be adjusted upwards. Beginning in 2000, buoys began recording temperature data, but prior to that, the data was supplied by ships. The buoys tend to record a lower temperature than the ships, and thus the data will have to be recalibrated. The Met Office stated: “since the late 1970s the long-term rate of surface warming has been about 0.16 °C per decade. However, over the last decade the rate of warming has decreased. Natural variability within the climate system could explain all of this recent decrease. Other factors could have contributed: changes in stratospheric water vapor, solar variability, and increased aerosol emissions from Asia.” The Office acknowledged that more research was needed to fully understand the short and long-term trends in climate variability.

For additional information see: Reuters, Guardian, Financial Times, CNN

In the third week of November, the government of Norway released a report documenting Norway’s vulnerability to climate change and the possible adaptation measures that it could take to combat the effects of climate change. The report found that average annual temperatures in Norway are projected to rise 2.3-4.6°C, average annual precipitation is expected to increase five to 30 percent by 2100, ocean temperatures will rise along the entire Norwegian coastline, and sea levels could rise in varied amounts along the coast. The report supports long-term research programs that will specifically address climate change impacts and actions to adapt to those impacts. The report also emphasizes the need for knowledge dissemination and specially prepared climate projections that enables technical users to comprehend the models and make better decisions.

For additional information see: Science Daily, The Research Council of Norway

On November 21, the Global Carbon Project published a study in Nature Geoscience showing that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions levels in 2009 fell just 1.3 percent below 2008 levels, less than half of the 2.8 percent drop that was expected. The recession caused CO2 growth rates to be lower in the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Russia and the United States. However, CO2 emissions from China increased by eight percent in 2009. Additionally, the overall amount of global fossil fuel emissions was still the second highest in human history, at 30.8 billion tons, just below the record set in 2008. CO2 emissions levels in 2010 are expected to rise again and could reach record levels; this is largely due to the burning of oil, coal, and gas in countries like China and India as their economies grow. The study did show that CO2 emissions from deforestation have decreased by over 25 percent since 2000. The study was part of Global Carbon Project’s annual carbon budget update.

For additional information see: Telegraph, Business Green, Science Daily, Global Carbon Project

In the third week of November, researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa published a study in the Journal of Climate showing that warmer climates are more sensitive to increases in greenhouse gases than previously thought. Currently, there is disagreement in many climate models about the magnitude of global warming due to the feedback caused by clouds. Some models predict that global average cloud cover will increase in a warmer climate, and other models predict that global average cloud cover will be reduced. This study applied a model developed at the International Pacific Research Center to study the clouds of a limited region of atmosphere over the eastern Pacific Ocean, which are known to greatly influence the present climate, but were previously poorly represented in climate models. Co-author Kevin Hamilton concludes, “If our model results prove to be representative of the real global climate, then climate is actually more sensitive to perturbations by greenhouse gases than current global models predict, and even the highest warming predictions would underestimate the real change we could see.”

For additional information see: Science Daily, Abstract

On November 23, a study published in an online journal of the Public Library of Science shows that as climate change forces grizzly bears and polar bears to accept closer habitats, grizzly bears will likely win out in the fight for food. Grizzly bears have begun moving north as their original habitat becomes warmer, and polar bears have begun moving south as climate change has reduced the amount of ice in their original habitat, forcing the two species to share territory. Polar bears’ diet will have to change, and scientists say their skulls and teeth are not designed to eat vegetation like plants, grass, tree bark, and berries. However, plants already makes up the bulk of the grizzly bears’ diet. “To people who say polar bears can just change their diet, we are saying … they will have to, but it probably will not be sufficient for them, especially if they are co-existing with grizzly bears,” said Blair Van Valkenburgh, senior author of the paper.

For additional information see: Reuters

On November 24, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that lakes are warming faster than the air. Using satellites, two NASA scientists studied 167 large inland lakes around the globe and found that on average they had warmed 1.1°C since 1985, which is about two and half times higher than the same average increase in air temperature. Russia’s Lake Ladoga and America’s Lake Tahoe warmed 2.2°C and 1.7°C, respectively, the most out of the lakes studied. The scientists said the next question to consider was why the lakes were warming faster than the air or land. “Our analysis provides a new, independent data source for assessing the impact of climate change over land around the world,” said Philipp Schneider, lead author of the study. “The results have implications for lake ecosystems, which can be adversely affected by even small water temperature changes.”

For additional information see: Associated Press, Agence France Presse

On November 23, a study published in Carbon Balance and Management shows that carbon emission reduction strategies, such as reforestation projects may threaten biodiversity in the tropics. The authors studied biodiversity and carbon emission reduction schemes in Indonesia to highlight how biodiversity could be harmed under strategies like the UN’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) program. “Peat swamp forests attract the bulk of REDD funds — they hold around 8 times more carbon than other lowland forests, and provide habitat for high profile species such as orangutan, tigers and Asian elephants,” co-author Matthew Struebig, from the University of London said. “However, when we look at overall numbers of plants, mammals and birds, especially species of greatest conservation concern, we find that peat forests typically support lower densities and fewer species than other lowland forest types.” Lead author Gary Paoli said, “in short, the highest carbon savings are not necessarily located in places with the highest levels of species diversity.” The authors argue that a regulatory framework for REDD is needed that will produce co-benefits for biodiversity and carbon emissions reduction.

For additional information see:

• Next Climate Warming Report Will Be Dramatically Worse: UN
• 500,000 Years of Geological History in the Dead Sea Represents Valuable Climate Change Data
• Warning Over Desertification in China
• City of Boston Chosen for Inaugural Climate Change Pilot Program
• Front-Line City in Virginia Tackles Sea Level Rise

Writers: Amber Pembleton and Matthew Johnson

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

EESI’s work, including this free newsletter, is made possible by financial support from people like you. Please help us continue to make it available by making a secure, online donation today by clicking here or mailing a check to Environmental and Energy Study Institute; 1112 16th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Please contact Susan Williams at (202) 662-1887 (202) 662-1887 or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!

On October 4, representatives from 177 nations gathered in Tianjin, China to make progress on a new global climate treaty that would replace the expiring greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets previously set by the Kyoto Protocol. According to many participating officials, the UN negotiations are not making much progress and a division between industrialized and developing countries remains. Chinese representatives said that poorer countries must be allowed to grow their economies and inevitably their total emissions. Developing countries are also unhappy that industrialized countries have not promised more significant emission reductions themselves. Bolivia’s ambassador to the United Nations criticized the U.S. pledge to cut emissions only three percent below 1990 levels by 2020. Last week’s climate talks in Tianjin were viewed as important for laying the groundwork for reaching a binding agreement at the Cancun summit in December.

For additional information see:AP, Bloomberg

On October 5, the chairs of five House Foreign Affairs subcommittees sent a letter, prepared by Oxfam, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to establish an independent “global climate fund” that helps developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. Environmental leaders have called for an independent fund out of concern that a fund controlled by development banks would be inappropriately influenced by large corporations and rich nations. The establishment of a climate developmental fund is one of the topics of last week’s climate talks in Tianjin, China and the Cancun summit in December. The letter was signed by Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS), chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment; Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade; Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia; Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health; and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

For additional information see: The Hill, Oxfam Press Release, Oxfam Report

In an interview last week with POLITICO, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lisa Jackson criticized fossil fuel lobbyists and said that the agency will work under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions. Jackson voiced her frustration with lobbyists and industry groups saying, “I do very much believe that it’s time for us to get past this tired dance, where folks inside this Beltway get paid a lot of money to say things that aren’t true about public health initiatives that this agency is charged by law with undertaking.” Despite facing multiple lawsuits and opposition from Congress, Jackson said EPA is taking a “series of modest steps” to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Jackson said that outside political debates in the Capitol, people all around the country are strongly in favor or having cleaner air.

For additional information see:Politico, Dow Jones Newswire

On October 5, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he is in favor of legislation that would block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. When asked about whether the EPA should regulate GHG emissions, Baucus said, “That would put too much power into few hands.” Baucus believes that legislative means to address GHG emissions are more legitimate explaining that unlike EPA, Congress represents varying parts of the country and diverse views on economic and environmental issues. It is uncertain whether the Senator would actually vote for Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s (D-WV) bill to delay EPA regulation of GHG emissions.

For additional information see: The Hill, E&E News

On October 7, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its five year fiscal plan. The plan highlights the agency’s five main goals, the first of which is to take action on climate change and improve air quality. The agency states that it will actively regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions despite mounting opposition from members of Congress and more than 90 lawsuits filed against the agency. “While EPA stands ready to help Congress craft strong, science-based climate legislation that addresses the spectrum of issues, we will assess and develop regulatory tools as warranted under law using the authority of the Clean Air Act,” the strategic plan states.

For additional information see: EPA Press Release, EPA Strategic Plan

On October 8, top U.S. climate negotiator Todd Stern said that China is not following the commitments made in the 2009 Copenhagen Accord. Stern said that Chinese negotiators “have acted almost as though the Accord never happened, insisting on legally binding commitments for developed countries and purely voluntary actions for even the emerging markets.” Stern’s comments were made following last week’s stalled climate talks in Tianjin, China. According to U.S. and Chinese officials, negotiators on both sides are losing trust in each other.

For additional information see:Reuters, Bloomberg

During the United Nations Climate Change Conference held this week in Tianjin, leading officials from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that it will be difficult to set emissions limits in the country because expanding industries will resist any restrictions on economic growth. Before the 2009 UN summit in Copenhagen, the Chinese government pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions relative to the size of its gross domestic product by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 (compared to 2005 levels) and now plans to begin a pilot program to test carbon cap and trade plans. The pilot program would first test the effects of carbon cap and trade on a single sector or city before attempting nationwide initiatives. However, top NDRC climate official Sun Cuihua anticipates significant opposition, saying negotiations with local industries will be “difficult.”

For additional information see:Bloomberg

On October 4, Maplecroft released three climate innovation indexes (CIIs) that ranked the top 350 U.S. companies on their climate innovation and carbon management programs. These indexes show there is a positive correlation between climate-related innovation and higher financial performance. Companies were assessed on 100 performance-based criteria such as lowering carbon emissions and ability to capitalize on climate-related market opportunities. The top five performers were General Electric, Ford Motor Co., Alcoa Inc., Air Products & Chemicals Inc. and Johnson Controls Inc. Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. came in last.

For additional information see:

Maplecroft News Release, Bloomberg

On October 5, Small Business Majority and Main Street Alliance released a report that shows the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Act benefited the U.S. economy. In the past 20 years, pollutants have declined 41 percent, while U.S. gross domestic product has risen by 64 percent. The Clean Air Act has been a catalyst for the development of new technologies making the United States a world leader in exporting environmental control technologies, the report says. The report also warned that limiting EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could hurt many large and small businesses that have already taken steps to adjust to a low-carbon economy. At the same time as the report release, 500 small business owners affiliated with Mainstreet Alliance sent a joint letter to Congress urging legislators to allow EPA to do its job. The small business leaders said that regulation of GHG emissions will not only “protect local communities and economies from the perils of climate change, but also encourage investments in clean energy and create green jobs.”

For additional information see:Press Release, Report, E&E News

On October 4, Goldman Sachs published a report that analyzed recent developments in multinational negotiations on energy and climate issues. According to the report, a new negotiation strategy is emerging whereby a smaller group of nations like the United States, the EU nations, China, India, Brazil and Russia will work more closely as opposed to the current wide-ranging UN process. The report also said that lead negotiators are now looking beyond Cancun to the 2011 climate talks in South Africa as the next best chance for binding agreements on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, individual nations are actively setting individual reduction goals. Many cities in Italy and Spain plan to reduce their CO2 emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels. Similarly, China announced a 40-45 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2020 from 2005 levels.

For additional information see: Goldman Sachs Report

On September 29, a report published in Environmental Research Letters discussed the likelihood of a 4.2°C global temperature increase and the disappearance of coral reefs by 2100. The report says that considering the lack of global action to date, the Copenhagen Accord target of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 2°C cannot be met. Even a 50 percent reduction commitment in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 would make this goal unlikely. According to researchers, if nations pursue less ambitious mitigation goals, there is an 80 percent chance that global temperatures will increase between 2.5 and 4.2°C. The report also indicates that rising carbon dioxide concentrations in oceans will cause coral reefs to terminally decline.

For additional information see:Abstract, Institute of Physics, Study

On October 4, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a study showing that fresh water levels in oceans are rising because of global warming. Warmer weather leading to frequent extreme storms has caused higher rainfall in the tropics and the Arctic Circle, the study says. The 13-year study concludes that melting ice sheets and higher river flow resulted in a 1.5 percent annual increase of fresh water flowing into oceans. Researchers used satellite measurements and observations rather than computer models to determine fresh water discharge into oceans. Lead analyst Jay Famiglietti said that higher rainfall is generally beneficial, but it is happening in the wrong places and for the wrong reasons.

For additional information see:Science Daily, Abstract

On October 4, the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) published a report that says vulnerable countries may be able to sue industrialized countries like the United States to force them to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the report, small island nations can make a credible case that, as they combat rising sea levels, they are being harmed by large polluters and can demand that GHG emissions be reduced. The report cites current legal literature that supports the idea that inter-state climate change litigation is possible. Furthermore, such action may create the political pressure and third party involvement necessary to push global climate negotiations forward, the report concludes.

For additional information see:New York Times, Report Summary, Report

On September 24, the University of Gothenburg issued a news release saying that horseshoe crabs are in serious danger of extinction due to climate change. A recent study conducted by researchers from the university’s zoology department concluded that horseshoe crabs are especially sensitive to changes in sea level and water temperature. “Such environmental changes are likely to have a negative impact on the crabs’ distribution and reproduction,” says researcher Matthias Obst. According to the study, populations have declined in all regions except in the geographically isolated southern-most part of Mexico. Horseshoe crabs have survived for more than 400 million years. At this moment, only four species remain: one in North America and three in South East Asia.

For additional information see:Study Abstract, University of Gothenburg News Release

• NSF Awards Grant for Climate Change Play
• APNewsBreak: EPA Official Praises NM Emission Plan
• Global Warming May Be Harming Pacific Walruses, Scientists Say
• Al Gore on Mexico Summit

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Nordic Council invite you to a briefing examining how and why Nordic countries have achieved global leadership in low-carbon technologies and strengthened their economic competitiveness. The oil crises of the 1970s spurred the Nordic countries to invest heavily in energy efficiency – including combined heat and power/district heating and energy efficient buildings – and renewable energy such as wind power, hydropower, geothermal, waste-to-energy, and biofuels. In the decades since, these countries have broken the direct relationship between economic growth and energy consumption, and emerged as global leaders in clean energy exports. Speakers representing industry and government from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, and Norway will discuss their nations’ experiences developing low-carbon economies, and potential lessons for American policymakers. This briefing will be held on Thursday, October 21, 2010 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the HVC 215 Capitol Visitor Center. This briefing is free and open to the public and a light breakfast will be served. RSVP to Laura Parsons at lparsons [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884

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